The mental factor of feeling is the auxiliary companion in the operation of the mind consciousness.

The "feeling" in the aggregate of feeling (vedanā) is a mental concomitant of the mind consciousness of the six consciousnesses, a functionality of the six consciousnesses. In fact, it is the feeling that arises after consciousness contacts the sense objects—the initial receiving and apprehending mark. It merely accepts the six sense objects and still belongs to a coarse mark; only when it develops into feelings of joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness does it become a subtle mark. The aggregate of feeling is not merely the initial feeling of consciousness contacting sense objects; the initial feeling is apprehending and accepting, before feelings of pain or pleasure have arisen. The aggregate of feeling includes the apprehending feeling and the later three kinds of feeling. Perception (saṃjñā), moreover, is not only discernment; it also has the function of grasping marks. The perception of the mind consciousness corresponds with designations (names). At the stage of perception there are also coarse and subtle marks—coarse discernment, and subtle discernment and grasping of marks. Only after coarse and subtle discernment do the coarse and subtle feelings of the six consciousnesses arise.

The seeds of feeling stored in the tathāgatagarbha are not separate from the seeds of consciousness. When the seeds of consciousness operate, the feeling mental concomitant operates alongside them; thus the consciousness mind has the function of feeling. It is not the case that, apart from the seeds of consciousness, there exists a separate seed of feeling. The five universal mental concomitants have no seeds of their own; they can only operate by relying on the consciousness mind, serving as its aids and companions. When the seeds of consciousness are born, the five universal mental concomitants simultaneously operate alongside them, depending on the consciousness mind. Therefore, feeling has no separate seed, and perception likewise has no separate seed. Rather, after the seeds of the six consciousnesses are born and the consciousness mind begins to operate, the feeling and perception concomitants operate alongside it. The same is true of all five universal mental concomitants; each of the eight consciousnesses has its own five universal mental concomitants.

In the process of the consciousness mind's discernment, the five universal mental concomitants operate repeatedly, over and over; they do not end after operating just once. Once they begin to operate, their sequence is exchanged and reversed; the order is not fixed. Therefore, the feeling of the six consciousnesses does not end after operating once or twice—it may operate countless times. The perception and volition (cetanā) concomitants are the same. The mental engagement (manaskāra) and contact (sparśa) concomitants operate relatively fewer times; the six consciousnesses can continuously direct attention toward the six sense objects and continuously contact the six sense objects without moving. The feeling, perception, and volition concomitants must operate repeatedly, back and forth, before there can be a final, ultimate decision, and only then does the six consciousnesses' discernment of the six sense objects conclude. The operation of the mental concomitants is extremely subtle and fine; only at the stage of buddhahood can it be completely observed.